Prayer For Strength When We Are Weary During This Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

The number of the sick and dying are increasing on a daily basis.  In various parts of the world health care systems are overwhelmed.  Medical care personnel and front line workers themselves get infected and sick.  I spoke to my own sister yesterday who is part of a team in a long term care facility in Ontario about the challenges they face both in terms of risk, exhaustion from the extra work load, and the psychological toll of all they are facing on a daily basis.

Today I’d like us to speak to God about those like my sister who are weary in well doing and still have to carry on.






We have wonderful invitations from God’s word to the weary, and to all of us:


God promises all of us refreshing, strength, power when we are weak, and giving us all we need when we are fainting from weariness.  That could be frontline workers.  It could be moms and dads who are trying to work from home, oversee education of their children, deal with financial pressures of an unknown future, care for aged loved ones at a distance.  It’s pretty overwhelming for the average person trying to do the right thing in their family.  To everyone feeling weary today our loving God make these offers:



So let’s come to God and receive all He is offering today.

Heavenly Father,

What a kind and loving God You are.  You’ve not turned your attention away from us in our troubles and moved on to some other planet in some other galaxy that’s more fun to deal with.  You are right here with us, caring for us, making all of You love and power available to us today.

We feel the pile of pressures and burdens on our own shoulders today – some of it has to do with what is required of us in these days of social distancing and isolation as one wee slides into another.  Our hearts are filled with thoughts and wonderings about what’s down the line – or what’s not down the line and there are so many who wonder how we will be able to take care of those we love and provide for them.  Thank you God, for your offer to us today to pile our troubles on You and let you carry our load.  We need your help.  We need your strength.  We need to lean into You today because we are tired.

We pray together God for all those who work in long term care facilities.  So many of these facilities are at risk or already have outbreaks of the covid-19 virus.  They are working with reduced staffing levels and having more work to do to try to keep residents and themselves safe.  Heavenly Father, come close to them.  Give them supernatural strength to face the tasks before them.  Bless them over and over again for the many ways they express kindness to the residents who are in need of their help.  Keep them safe from the virus and other illnesses.  Help them to know your peace both at work and when they go home wondering if they are taking risk home to their families.  Thank You for giving them the willingness to put themselves on the line.  Bless them now as you promise when you tell us that with the measure we use to pour out blessing so you will measure it back to us, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

Our hearts go out to all the frontline workers – doctors, nurses, technicians, cleaners, paramedics, lab techs,  and so on who are working above and beyond.  We pray special blessing on those who now themselves have fallen ill with covid-19 because they put themselves at risk.  We pray healing and strength and a quick recovery for them.  We bless those who continue to work with limited protective equipment, overwhelming case loads, no chance of physical distancing space in their work – God, in Your mercy hold back the spread of the virus around them.  Give them strength to focus on the job at hand particularly at the end of a long shift when they are tired.  Help them to not miss things they need to do in their weariness.  Keep them vigilant.  We pray you will strengthen their spirits.  We can give a little gratitude message at 7pm but we pray that you will lift their spirits all through the day.  Help them see little things that give them joy and gratitude as they work so hard.  Keep them from anger and resentment when the protection and supplies they need are not available to them.  Help them to see You with them and experience Your comfort and reassuring presence.

We pray for truck drivers, transit drivers, pharmacists, grocery store personnel, community nursing and home care support staff who support individuals in their homes, meals-on-wheel volunteers, food bank volunteers – the list goes on and on of people who are working long hours with limitations and restrictions that complicate their work.  Show them new and useful ways to do all that’s needed, we pray, Lord.  Stretch the resources to meet the needs.  Raise up others to provide support in helpful ways so these folks can do their important work.  Protect them from the virus.  Protect them from the harsh things they sometimes hear when the impatience and unrealistic expectations of those needing their care is expressed in a less than loving way.  Lift their spirits as they offer what they have and trust You to take care of the needs beyond their own abilities.

Finally Lord, we bring federal, provincial, and city officials to you.  They are working hard.  They have the added pressure of having to lay off faithful staff members and the pain and sorrow that brings.  We pray for wisdom and discernment that only You can give them God.  Help them to think Your thoughts and respond to the needs before them as You lead them.  We pray protection on the programs they put in place - that those who would seek to exploit them for their own ill-gotten gain would be stopped in their tracks.  We pray for all the details that need to be worked out as they send out help as quickly as possible.  Help them do their checks and balances quickly and accurately so the most people get the most help possible.  Protect their hearts as they hear reports of challenges and deaths and sickness and its impact on the vulnerable despite their best efforts.  Turn their hearts to You Lord to listen for and then follow Your direction.

Keep all of us aware, Lord, that our provision and our strength, and our ability to get through all of this comes from You.  You pour out strength and grace and wisdom to many as we work together but ultimately, If you are not in it then even these efforts will flounder.

Lord when all else fails we will remember that You  gives strength to those who are tired.   You give power to those who are weak.  Even young people become worn out and get tired.    Even the best of them trip and fall. But those who trust in the Lord will receive new strength. They will fly as high as eagles.  They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not grow weak.  We trust you.  We depend on you today.  Amen



If the sky is clear tonight go out on your porch or look out the window and look at the amazing array of stars.  Remind yourself that the God who put all that in place and holds it all together is sustaining us in what we are going through in these days.

I bless you to have a wonderful day.